How to Get Rich

Writers: Mirren, Paula
Date Posted: 23rd October 2015

Characters: Bortem, Fymer
Description: Fymer has some ideas to get their marks back.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 2, day 7 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Yriadha

Bortem

"So I saw them spending _our_ marks," Bortem said sourly. He pointed in the general direction of the marketplace. "I wanted to- I wanted to hurt them." As if he wasn't too cowardly to bother.

"Yes, I know that feeling. Here we are, trying to earn an honest living and they walk away with our marks," Fymer couldn't agree more. He savoured his chilled wine and pondered his own situation. He was due to pay for his children's fostermother but had a hard time scraping together the marks. If Morin were still alive, he could go for him and loan the sum.

"Not much we can do about it," Bortem moaned. "They're not going to give it back now."

"No, they don't give them back...but there might be way to get them back," Fymer said thoughtfully and glanced his companion. Bortem wasn't the brightest glow in a basket, at least that was Fymer's opinion, but he did seem to be morally ambiguous. Fymer had some half-formed ideas where the young man could help him.

"How?" Bortem asked eagerly. If it meant getting his marks back, he'd do it.

"I have a couple of ideas, but they need a little work yet. And preparations." Fymer said. "You know, Lord Morin didn't hire me for my pretty handwriting. He hired me for my handwriting," he continued with a smug tone and wondered if the young tanner would catch the implications.

Bortem stared at him. "What?"

"Just give me an example of a person's handwriting and with little practice, I can copy it perfectly," Fymer said. He hauled his estimate of Bortem's intelligence downwards.

"Oh." Bortem was impressed. "So how will that help to get them back?"

"We could always forge a record that says they owe us marks," Fymer suggested.

"I don't know. Will they fall for that?" Bortem scratched the side of his head.

"They just might," Fymer shrugged. "It does have kinks that need to be worked out. If we knew time they were, let's say, roaring drunk, we could date it for that day, and they couldn't say if the signed it or not if the can't remember what happened."

Bortem grinned. "We could do it to other people too. I'm sure plenty of people are dumb enough to fall for it."

"Yes, we could. The biggest obstacle is acquiring the sample of their signature, and there you, my friend, could help. Your mother is the headwoman. She must receive tons of notes, letters and other records," Fymer said.

"She's not going to give them to me." Bortem shook his head. "Unless…" He paled. "I guess I could 'borrow' some…"

"Now you're getting it," if Fymer's tone was condescending it was because he was condescending. "I only need them for candlemark or two and then they can be slipped back. She'll never notice."

"What if she does?" Bortem asked unhappily. "She'll kill me." Possibly literally.

"You just have to be clever," Fymer said. "Do you happen to have any better ideas?" he asked sarcastically.

"No. I just - it better be worth it, you know?" Like all good gambles, it was worth taking.

"If we can pull it off, it will be very worth it," Fymer assured him. "There might be some other things we could do too."

"If we could figure out how they cheated, we could do the same." Never let it be said that Bortem let scruples get in the way.

"Mmmh, yes," Fymer agreed thoughtfully.

"Maybe we could get rich." Or have enough to pay their debts anyway. That would do for a start.

"I could toast for getting rich," Fymer grinned.

"Me too. Maybe I'll buy a flit," Bortem said.

"Me, I'll get myself a pretty wife from a good family," Fymer said dreamily. "And maybe some property. Nice house to live in."

Bortem grinned. "I can't wait."

Last updated on the October 25th 2015

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How to Get Rich